Ultimate Superwoman: Transcendience
by Shade Penn
Summary: Lita Kent has just joined the superhero business, she finds out that the world can be just as cruel as can be kind. Life isn't easy with for this Last Daughter Of Krypton. Warning: Femslash.
1. Prologue

A/N: I'm back with a fresh newcomer to my 'Ultimate' 'Mainstream' additions with adding DC comics into the mix. Please note that just like with my other two stories that go into this mix-and-mash verse, Spider-Girl and Blaze may show up a time or two. And just with Spider-Girl, I've done the genderswap with Superman, hence the title.

* * *

><p>Prologue<p>

Lita Kent remembered leaving her home of Smallville, Kansas to head off to college when she'd been accepted to Columbia University located in New York, New York. She'd originally protested going to continue her schooling so far away, but her mother Martha had insisted that the change of scenery would be good for her after the death of her father.

While Martha and Jonathan Kent were not her biological parents, they were still her _parents_. Her real parents though, she was very much aware of was the fact they were dead.

…And along with the rest of her planet.

Yes, in a world full of Superheroes and Villains, she was a real live _alien_.

And while of her awkwardness had come from the knowledge of trying dearly to blend in to the background, most of it had come from trying to hide a _certain_ aspect of herself that small town folk might think was strange, she had accepted _that_ part of her long ago.

Though thoughts made themselves known in her mind as she stared down at the red and blue outfit her mother had made her.

Like how _Lor-El_ was her birth name, or so she'd learned from the 'Fortress of Solitude' she had stashed down in Antarctica. Although to be fair it _did_ sound a little like the shampoo product by a similar name, just without the 'ea' added.

She had been fifteen at the time when she learned of her real origins though, and why she was able to do these amazing things; like lift tractors above her head, run at incredible speeds, see through solid objects, shoot heat beams from her eyes, or was impervious to virtually anything.

And while the idea of using her gifts to help people was always there in her mind, it wasn't until her super hearing picked up the pleas and cries for help that she decided to do anything about it.


	2. Making A Splash

**Chapter 1: Making A Splash**

Lita pushed the black lock of hair back under the blonde wig she was wearing that ended at her shoulders. She didn't like wearing the wig and bundling up her hair, but she could go around with her long black hair cascading down her back, and she didn't know if people might recognize her, however few sightings people caught of her as it may be. Which was why she had added the glasses to the disguise and kept her clothing modest, to re-enforce that she was just some 'wholesome country girl.'

Lita hurried down the hall to her Journalism class at a pace that was faster than normal but wouldn't cause suspicion in those around her. She was quite thankful sometimes for her tall height, standing over most of the girls and even guys, which tended turn off both just the same.

The 'blonde' girl went into the class room on the third floor, taking the seat next to her friend Lena Thorul and the teacher came in just after her.

"Now today I'll be handing back your tests from Monday and I'll be giving you a week long assignment about researching and writing up a three thousand word essay about a newspaper industry." He explained and began walking around the room, handing back the tests to each student as he went.

"So what paper are you going to do?" Lena questioned. "I'm going to work on the Bugle."

Lita reframed from saying anything as she knew about her friend's skepticism about superheroes and meta-or just regular old costumed people in general-humans. "I'm going to work on a piece about the Globe." She answered neutrally as the paper tended to print more 'impartial' pieces.

After the class ended, Lita and Lena walked down the hall when a dark-haired girl accidently bumped into Lita. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" The other girl said.

Lita rubbed her shoulder for show. "It's okay Lori, no harm no foul." She said smiling.

Lori Lemaris smiled back. "Oh, okay, see you Lita." She said before sprinting off, her long hair flowing behind her.

Lena had watched the exchange with amusement and when Lori had left, she smirked. "I see the way you two look at each other, why…" she looked around and saw that the hall wasn't crowded yet, "don't you ask her out?"

Lita blushed and rubbed her neck. "It's wishful thinking, besides; I don't think Lori would like me like _that_. This is the part of your life where it's alright to experiment."

Lena grinned slyly. "_Exactly_. So what's the harm?"

The 'blonde' looked thoughtful. "Okay, maybe I will-but not right now." she said and looked at her watch. "I gotta get to Biology." She said sprinting off. Lita trusted her long time friend's instincts and while she appreciated the encouragement, she just hated having to _lie_ to her friends.

Well, her normal friends at least, since her two male friends weren't exactly 'normal' either.

* * *

><p>Clad in her superhero outfit, Superwoman was flying over the icy land of Antarctica during the time she could be out until her roommate got suspicious about her absence. She saw her fortress in the coming distance and even after seeing it for the past 2 years; she <em>still<em> looked at it in awe.

It was a giant crystalline shape of jutting crystals and ice, matching the surrounding frozen land perfectly, the blizzards that happened to occur often had made her think of the deserted continent as the perfect place to put it. Superwoman landed in front of the entrance, feeling the tingling sensation of being scanned.

_"Identification confirmed. Lor-El."_ The computerized voice said before the crystal in front of her shifted upward and she was allowed to walk into the beautiful interior. A floating robot with a round body and no legs with two mechanical arms, and a 'goggle' face came over to her.

_"Greetings Miss Lor, may I take you cape?" _The robot asked.

Superwoman smiled as she thought back to how she first reactivated the robots that were 'stashed' as it were into the Fortress of Solitude for her. She had been understandably surprised by the fact all they had to do was scan her to find out who she was, but they had become something of her teachers; such as showing her where the Chamber of Knowledge in the Fortress was and showing her around the place in general.

Though out of the two of them, only the humanoid Lyla had come back to her home in Smallville with her. Her adoptive mother had been very understanding and they had passed 'Lyla Lerrol' off as Lita Kent's cousin.

The robot in front of her instead had opted to stay behind in the Fortress as its caretaker.

"No thank you, Kelex, I'm only here to take another hour in the Chamber before I head out." Superwoman said smiling and the robot floated up and down in lieu of a 'yes' before going back over to the main controls. The woman walked down the hall, still marvelling at the fact that only had all _this_ been a small blue diamond shaped crystal, but that two _beings_ had been able to fit also was astounding.

It was also a reminder of just _how_ advanced her race had been.

The depressing thought reared its ugly head and she was harshly reminded that she was the last of her kind, and was never going to know her real parents…or the older brother she apparently had. _Had_ being the central wording.

After going into the chamber, the woman left the fortress, the cover her robot friend always used to conjure up a blizzard to hide the fortress. She opted to use the word 'friend' instead of 'servant' because it felt wrong to call it that, she couldn't stand calling Kelex and 'it' instead of him as it was. Lyla was the exception as it was so people didn't get suspicious about her.

When she reached New York, it was the edge of nightfall and she was heading back to her dorm her super hearing picked up some ruckus by the docks. She dived downward and flew toward the dock, her hearing picking up that the sailors were being attacked by some unknown watery force.

She saw for herself that the water was splashing and weaving upward in tendrils as the strands wrapped around the necks of dock workers unlucky enough to get caught and waves began picking up around one ship, the passengers holding onto the haul. Superwoman decided to help the people caught in the tendrils first and used her ice breath to freeze the water around their necks, making it _much_ easier to smash through.

She gathered up the workers and put them each on the dock before turning her attention to the ship that was about to be capsized. She let loose a deep breath and the water that was about to push the boat over froze. A tendril shot out and hit her square in the chest, knocking her back a few feet but she was otherwise okay.

Superwoman dodged another tendril and saw a shape in the water, but she had to dodge another strand that blocked her view. The raven-haired woman punched the tendrils that came at her, scattering into tiny droplets before diving into the water, holding her breath as she looked around for the form, but even with her enhanced vision she couldn't detect anything.

Superwoman swam back up to the surface and punched the ice as she rose, the ship settling back onto its side. She looked down at the water and before the dazed workers realized just _who_ she was; Superwoman flew off back to her dorm.

She did though keep in mind to keep her ears on this place in case of another attack.

Something like this had to be more than just a random incident.

* * *

><p>"This is your chance." Lena whispered to the 'blonde.'<p>

Lita bit her lip as she looked over at Lori, who was sitting at the fountain. "I don't know…"

"Come on, you _said_ you were gonna ask her out, now go get her!" Lena whispered in encouragement before nudging the taller girl over to the dark-haired girl.

Lita sighed; though she admitted that her friend had a point. She'd never get anything in this world if she didn't _try_. Building her resolve, she walked over to Lori and tried not to blush. "Um, hello Lori."

The dark-haired girl looked up and smiled. "Hello Lita, what can I do for you?"

"Are you um, free this evening?" Lita asked tentatively as she pushed her glasses up.

The other girl tilted her head, a hint of puzzlement in her eyes. "Yes...why?"

Lita felt her cheeks tint pink. "Because, uh, I was…wondering if…you wanted to go out with me."

Whatever Lori had been suspecting, it clearly hadn't been this. "Oh, uh, that's very sweet, but we hardly know each other." She replied and Lita tried not to feel too embarrassed.

"I understand, I'll just be going then." She replied and was about to turn away when Lori spoke up again.

"I said that we barely know each, not that we _couldn't_ get to know each other." She said and Lita looked back at the girl.

"Seriously?" she asked and Lori nodded. Lita smiled radiantly. "That's terrific, where do you want to meet?"

Lori placed a hand to her chin in thought. "I know this great little café by the pier, it's my favorite spot, we could go there."

Though Lita found the fact the pier was where she had fought the watery entity a little suspicious, she brushed it off for the moment. "That's sounds great. I'll meet you there at 7 if that's okay."

Lori nodded. "Sounds good."

Lita nodded before walking back over to her redheaded friend and caught the girl's expectant gaze. "She said yes."

Lena smirked, her blue eyes sparkling in triumph. "See, what did I tell you?"

Lita nodded her mind still in a pleasant daze from what Lori had said. "You were right."

"And when have I ever been wrong?" Lena asked her smirk widening.

Even in her current daze, Lita didn't miss a beat. "When you said your brother would have appreciated getting a comb as a birthday present."

"And he did." Lena said nervously. "He enjoyed _throwing_ it at us." She amended grimacing.

Lita also nodded solemnly at her friend before adjusting her pack. "I should be getting to my Environmentalism class now."

"Why did you take that course anyway? All you do is watch plants grow in the green house." Lena said furrowing her brow like she was trying to figure this out herself.

"We do more than just watch plants grow." Lita retorted and walked back to the building behind them, but she stopped and looked over her shoulder with a smirk. "We also _get_ to plant things too you know."

* * *

><p>Becky Jones was looking at the latest Daily Bugle paper that had statements from dock workers saying how they'd been saved by this illusive 'Superwoman' character. She scowled at the paper and thought back to the red and blue costumed woman that had frozen her water.<p>

That…_girl scout_ had ruined her objective get rid of those wretched OsCorp ships that were polluting the ocean.

But no matter, Becky thought shaking her head and tossed the paper down on the coffee table, just a small setback.

"I take it you read the paper?" A female voice queried breaking Becky out of her thoughts.

The woman looked back to see her younger sister Wendy entering the living room of their apartment. "Yes, but this won't change anything." She assured her. "The appearance of this 'Superwoman' was unexpected, but is the rest of the team ready?"

Wendy nodded solemnly. "Yes, the operation can go down as planned."

Becky smirked, a manic gleam appearing in her eyes. "Soon the _Masters of Disaster_ will show Oscorp just what it means to mess with Mother Earth!"

Her cackling echoed all through the room.

* * *

><p>Lita looked through her clothing and her roommate Linda Danvers watched in amusement. "Hmm, what to wear?" she mused aloud.<p>

"Well, _you_ certainly seem excited." Linda teased.

Lita tried and failed to keep the blush off her face. "Well, this is my first date and I don't want to mess it up."

A strange look crossed the blonde's face. "You've never been on a date before? I thought guys would have been lining up, or was that before you realized you were…._you know_." She added bashfully.

Lita chuckled as she pulled out a dark blue top and black dress pants, sadly these items being the most 'up to date' on her fashion sense as the rest of her clothing had been kept to button up plaid shirts and jeans to keep up her country girl disguise. "It's okay, and I think _everyone_ at my school had been intimidated by the fact I was taller than most of them." She said wryly.

"I bet." Linda agreed smirking. "Do you want me to help fix your hair?"

"No, that's fine." Lita said hurriedly as she held up her hands. "I like my hair down."

Linda shrugged. "Oh, okay." She said and brightened considerably. "Have you seen the latest issue of the Daily Bugle saying how she saved a bunch of dock workers?"

Lita nodded her head absently. "Yeah, it's funny that the Bugle would write something _positive_ about a superhero instead of negative."

"I think it has to do with the fact Superwoman doesn't hide behind a mask." Linda pointed out. "I mean, how can you _trust_ someone with a mask on?"

Lita frowned lightly. "My favorite hero, Captain America, _he_ wore a mask you."

Linda cringed. "Well, uh…whoops?"

Lita privately rolled her eyes. "Forget it, I'm changing now."

"Say no more, I'm gone." Linda said backing out her roomies room.

Lita changed out of her clothes to reveal her costume, or at least the full blue body suit that ended at her thighs; her red skirt and red cape were stuffed in her pack until she needed them. While she really wanted to change out of her costume, she didn't want to been unprepared if the thing that attacked the dock workers comes back.

She walked out of her room, pack over her shoulder. "I'll see you later." She called and heard the 'See ya' from her roommate before leaving the dorm and using her super speed to get to the designated spot. She really liked her powers, and while it had been completely frustrating at times to deal with in the beginning to let the idea that not only were her parents not her parents, but that she was an alien also.

Still, once it also sank in that she was an alien the positive side presented itself.

Flying, now _that_ was really cool. Her other powers were cool to, but there was just something about being able to defy gravity that made her all warm inside.

She made it to her destination and after looking around for a few minutes, found Lori sitting at a table. She smiled and took the seat opposite to the other girl. "Hi Lori, hope I'm not late."

"Actually, you're right on time." Lori replied while returning the smile. "How are your classes?"

Lita shrugged one shoulder. "Fine, I really like my journalism course and the environmentalism course is interesting, Lena thinks it's silly though; since she assumes all we do is stare at plants for an hour."

Lori nodded lightly. "And everything else?"

"Well I can't complain." Lita replied sheepishly. "Though it's not like where in high school everyone ribbed me about being named after a toy robot."

"Toy robot?" Lori repeated blinking in surprise.

"Elita." Lita said grimacing. "I still can't believe that's a real name either."

"Well I can see how you'd find the similar names to be…annoying." Lori said lightly and decided to steer the conversation to a 'safer' topic. "Do you have any siblings?"

Lita felt a slight longing for the brother she never knew, and while she had lamented she'd probably never know what that felt like, now was not the time to dwell on what could've been. "I er, have a cousin, her name's Lyla Lerrol and she'd staying with my Ma to help her around the house."

"Aw, well that's nice of her." Lori said smiling and Lita nervously smiled back.

She'd actually had to convince her mom to let Lyla help her around the house and it took even longer to convince Lyla to go transfer her protection protocol programmed into her to include her adoptive mother. And her last visit to the farm showed her that Lyla was getting along well with her mother, even if the android was also strangely formal with everything.

A beeping brought her out of her thoughts and she saw Lori turn red in embarrassment as she took out a cell phone. "Um, I have to go; I hope this didn't ruin our evening."

Lita waved her off. "No, I completely understand." She assured the other woman.

Lori nodded and got up from her seat. "Thanks, and I'll probably see you at school tomorrow." She said waving as she sprinting away, Lita waving back, but her hand and smile froze as the full force of the other woman's words hit her.

"_'Probably?'"_ she repeated and furrowed her brow in thought, a strange form of foreboding forming in her mind. 10 minutes later her ears picked up the shouts and screams from the dock that had been attacked the previous day. It was strange that the yelling started shortly after Lori had left-

No, she couldn't think that!

But how well had she actually _known_ Lori? Not well as this 'date' was _to_ get to know each other.

Lita brushed away the doubt for now, all she knew at this moment was that people needed her and she gathered up her pack up and ducked into the nearest alley and super-speeded into her skirt, boots and attached her cape to her costume. She hid her pack behind a pile of boxes and flew out of the alley, barely anyone taking notice of the red and blue form flying hastily through the sky.

* * *

><p>New Wave cackled as she blasted the water she was controlling at the workers, her sister Windfall also using her wind-based abilities to asphyxiate some of them, Shakedown providing cover to keep other people away, and both Coldsnap and Heatstroke both having headed into the warehouses behind them to destroy the disgusting sludge these corporate sheep were going to pollute the water with.<p>

Sure, the ensuing explosion would send the entire harbour district into a blaze, but some eggs needed cracking.

A red and blue form suddenly jumped Windfall and just as New Wave was about to curse Superwoman for attacking her sister, she noticed that _this_ red and blue form was smaller than Superwoman and spider-themed. She laughed as she tried blasting the newcomer with a Jetstream of water, and while it didn't hit the girl, it _did_ get her away from her sister.

"What is this, you think one little girl can stop us?" She sneered behind her blue visored mask.

The slim form of Spider-Girl jumped to avoid another Jetstream and the little girl tried to web her, but Windfall blasted the webbing harmlessly away.

"You're outnumbered; it's three against one this time." Windfall snarled, her older sister having never seen the younger woman so vicious. It was certainly an improvement. "Your dirty tricks won't be saving your snarky ass this time."

Spider-Girl smirked in an infuriating way. "It seemed to do the trick last time." She quipped.

Windfall turned an interesting shade of red behind her yellow visored mask. "One of these days, you're going to do _that_ to the wrong person and you're gonna end up paying for it." She hissed. "After all, there are much worse things that can be done to you instead of just killing you for kissing them." She added darkly.

New Wave and Shakedown's control almost tapered at that bit of information. "She did what?" New Wave questioned, her protective elder sister instincts kicking in. "Oh, you're dead now, Spidey." She snarled and shot another jet of water at the spider-themed heroine.

Spidey dodged the jet of water and swung overhead of them, but a shot of 'razor wind' from Windfall cut her web line and she began to free fall, the pavement already too pull up without still going splat on the ground. But just when she was sure she _was_ gonna to splat, she was suddenly caught and though it _did_ send a small jolt through her by the sudden impact, nothing felt broken.

Spider-Girl looked up at who caught her and felt her heartbeat pounding in her ears as a red-stain made its way across her face. Her savior was strikingly beautiful with long black hair and light blue eyes. Her costume was red and blue liker her own, but the woman's had a cape on her shoulders and a diamond-shaped structure on the center of her blue body suit with a stylized 'S' on it.

"Looks like you could use a hand." The illusive Superwoman said, her voice pleasantly making the brunette girl's legs weak.

"Uh, uh, y-yeah." She stuttered and had to remember how to stand when Superwoman landed and set her down. "You okay with handling these two while I deal with Shakey over there?" Superwoman nodded and the girl nodded back. "Great."

Superwoman looked to the two sisters, her eyes narrowing at the one in blue. "You're powers…you were the one who attacked this dock yesterday, weren't you?"

New Wave grinned. "Yes, 'Superwoman' I was did."

"Well stop this, what have these people ever done to you?" Superwoman questioned.

New Wave snarled and tried to once again use her Jetstream to blast the heroine, only for this one to dodge as well. "These people aren't innocent; they pollute the earth for profit!"

"Well killing them won't solve anything!" A new voice shouted.

"But it will certainly be a start." New Wave replied coldly at the dark-haired newcomer.

_'Lori_.' Superwoman thought guilty for ever even entertaining the idea that Lori could be a part of something so heinous as killing. "This stops now." she said and blew at the watery tendrils, freezing them all in place.

New Wave shrieked and conjured up a water ball, but instead of launching it at Superwoman, the unhinged woman threw it at Lori.

Superwoman sped down and took the blast meant for her friend.

* * *

><p>Spider-Girl had managed to lead Shakedown away just enough to try and attack him with her webbing, only to get it ripped a part too easily. "Well this isn't good." She mused aloud.<p>

"Give up, Coldsnap and Heatstroke have probably already planted the bombs inside the warehouses, this whole district is gonna blow!" Shakedown retorted and proceeded to shake the ground beneath Spider-Girl's feet.

The girl leaped onto the side of the nearest warehouse and her lips pursed. She had two options, either stop Shakedown, or stop these 'Coldsnap and Heatstroke' people. She decided to take a third option and do both.

She webbed at Shakedown with one hand and while he moved his head, her webbing caught the pipe behind him and she brought her hand back, the pipe colliding with his head and while it didn't take him down, it _did_ disorient him enough for her to web him up in extra layers and she swung off to find where these 'Coldsnap and Heatstroke' people were.

* * *

><p>"Are you okay?"<p>

Superwoman looked behind her at the other dark-haired girl and nodded her head. The blast hadn't really hurt her, but it _was_ annoying. "Get to safety." She said and while the woman's expression wavered, she eventually nodded and ran out of sight. Superwoman looked back at the sisters and her face set in a grim expression. "Time for round two it seems."

Windfall floated up and sent several razor winds at the woman, who dodged and fly up at her with super speed. She knew it would be useless to try and blow the woman away if the woman could manipulate the air, so the direct approach seemed like the best option.

Superwoman tried using her enhanced vision to see if the manipulation _was_ man-made, at least that way she could stop the woman and _keep_ her down. Unfortunately it seemed like that wasn't the case, and she feinted around the woman and struck her with just enough force to knock her unconscious but not enough to hurt her terribly. Superwoman caught Windfall as the woman began free falling without the use of her powers keeping her in the air and she set the woman down before turning her attention to the smirking New Wave.

"Now it's just you and me." Superwoman said and the unhinged woman began cackling. The dark-haired woman frowned. "What's so funny?"

New Wave grinned. "Any minute now this whole district is gonna go up in flames; you can either stop the explosion, but that means you'd have to let me go." She said giddily.

Superwoman's frown deepened before it lightened into a smirk. "I think not."

Confused, New Wave looked behind her and her expression turned to disbelief and horror when she saw both Coldsnap and Heatstroke knocked out and tied up in several layers of webbing, Spider-Girl holding the undetonated bombs in her hand, a cocky smirk on the visible part of her face. "Yeah, I'm just that awesome."

New Wave heard a whoosh of air and looked back to see Superwoman's fist stop just in front of her face. She flinched back, but before she could get a moment's reprieve, the dark-haired woman flicked her finger and sent the villainess flying backwards and lying unconscious on the ground.

"Hmm, I don't remember calling the police." Superwoman mused aloud as her hearing picked up the incoming sirens.

Spider-Girl grinned sheepishly and held up her cell phone. "Yeah, did that once I took out Hot and Cold here." She said nodding towards the duo at her feet. She shuffled her feet as a blush crossed her face. "I…I just can't believe you're real."

Superwoman raised a brow. "You think I didn't exist?"

The blush deepened. "It's just that, before now I'd only heard rumors, but brushed them off because I didn't think someone so…_cool_ could be real."

"I suppose it's nice to have a fan." Superwoman said gently as a soft smile made its way onto her face.

"Thanks." Spider-Girl said rubber her arm and the sirens were close enough for the web-slinger to hear and that made her grow even more nervous. "Why don't we head out now?" she suggested and Superwoman nodded before flying off.

"Nice working with you." She said cordially before she sped out of sight.

Spider-Girl stared in the direction the woman left in. "Wow." She said before snapping out of it and swung off.

* * *

><p>Lita saw her roommate run into the room with the Bugle in one hand, a mystified expression on her face. "What is it?"<p>

Linda's expression became even _more_ stupefied. "She's _real_."

Lita furrowed her brow, a sinking suspicion growing in her stomach. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that the Bugle has gotten a solid, _real_, photo of the illusive Superwoman!" Linda squealed, and had Lita not frozen she'd have found her roommate's 'fangirlism' amusing.

"W-what?" Damn, she stuttered.

Linda though didn't take notice as she held up the front page cover of the Bugle that showed the wider than life floating image of Superwoman, whose beautiful face was set in a look of concern as she stopped the falling Spider-Girl from going splat, even more so was the obvious blush on the spider-themed heroine's face.

Lita was unsure as to whether she should be embarrassed for herself or the obviously infatuated girl in the photo with her.


	3. Frost Bite

**Chapter 2: Frost Bite**

Lita had seen Linda still staring at the picture of her and Spider-Girl, though she was now wondering _which_ person in the photo she was staring at. She'd never pried about Linda's sexual preference, but this could just be a onetime thing; maybe she was just fascinated by the fact someone caught a picture of Superwoman?

Hmm, maybe, maybe not. She'd seen her date guys, but who knows?

Lita sure doesn't as she doesn't give it much thought and left the dorm room to go to her first class of the day. She adjusted her glasses after super speeding to the still deserted campus front and headed inside the building. She walked down the hall as more students started showing up and saw Lori looking over her notebook as she walked toward her. "Hi, Lori."

The other girl looked up before smiling tentatively. "Oh, hi Lita." She said, but looked a little anxious.

Lita frowned as she noticed this. "Lori, are you okay?"

"Oh, um, yes, I'm fine." Lori said still smiling, but her eyes held a wary look in them.

Lita wanted to ask again if something was wrong, but decided not to push her luck. After all, she didn't want to frighten Lori off. "Well, okay then." She then bit her lip. "Pardon me for being too forward but, would you like to get together later? It's just that we didn't really learn all that much about each other yesterday."

For the first time since they'd been talking, Lori smiled and the nervous vibes she'd been giving off diminished. "Sure, I'd like that."

Lita nodded and they agreed to meet again at the pier where they had last met for their 'date' before moving on to her first class of the day. She unfortunately saw the seat beside Lena was already taken and made to move to sit in the one behind her, noticing too late who was in the seat behind _her_.

"Hey, Ellie." An obnoxious voice said from behind her.

Lita looked back at the man who was the same age as her and plastered on a fake smile. "Kenny, you go to school here? Since when?"

"Since the fall, I've always been here." The boy replied smirking at her and brazenly reached out to grip the short blond locks of her wig. "Why'd you cut and change your pretty hair? I liked it."

"Maybe that's precisely why." Lita hissed, but on the inside she felt anxious. This boy being in her class didn't feel like an unfortunate coincidence. Back in Smallville during her high school years he'd been something of an abhorrent admirer bordering stalker. He'd tried to flirt with her every chance he got, even when he was with his girl of the week.

He was good-looking, he knew it, and he exploited it. But she never fell for it, mostly because she bated for the other team, but it was plainly because she couldn't stand the sight of him. Something about him made her uncomfortable to be around, like his very presence made her feel ill, kinda like that kryptonite stuff she'd dealt with in the past.

Sadly, nothing she did ever seem to deter the boy's attention from her for more than five minutes.

Lita took his hand off her hair and steadfastly tried to ignore him as the professor came into the room. It was a rather trying hour.

* * *

><p>After class, Lena wrapped one arm under Lita's and led her away from the classroom. "I hear you got the inside scoop with the Bugle."<p>

"What are you talking about?" Lita questioned and furrowed her brow.

"A heard of a reporter with the surname 'Clark' and isn't that your mother's maiden name?" Lena asked tilting her head innocently, but Lita knew her friend better. With the only other two friends they'd had back in Smallville being both boys they _both_ had to be sneaky when called for.

"Ken Clark, yeah, he's my cousin, what of it?" Too could play the innocent game Miss Thorul.

Lena smiled coyly at the 'blonde.' "Come on, think you could call up family and ask him if I can go over and get the low down on the Bugle?"

Lita raised a brow. "Couldn't you do that anyway? All you'd have to do is tell them your real last name and they'd probably put out the red carpet."

Lena frowned at this. "You know as well as I do why I won't do that. I was treated different in Smallville because of my last name, and it's going to be different here. It's like with you and your change of hair color."

Lita felt somewhat self-conscious she put a lock of hair between her fingers. "You really think I shouldn't have changed it?"

Lena waved it off with her free hand. "Don't listen to creepy Kenny, I think it looks great, it would have been even better if Danvers didn't one up you and have a bob cut."

"Must you insult my roommate?" Lita asked sighing.

"It's not her personally, it's just her dad's a cop and my family doesn't exactly have the best…track record with them, particularly my brother." Lena answered softly as she took a quick look around to make sure that no one was listening.

"And paranoid." Lita muttered and Lena looked at her sharply.

"Oh, I am not." She huffed and pulled the taller girl toward their next class. "Come on, time to go planting."

"Environmentalism is not just about planting, and today we're going to talk about the effects of frost on a living organism." Lita replied.

"Boring!" Lena exclaimed. "Come on, ditch and let's go shopping, I need a new pair of boots." She suggested.

Lita shook her head. "Lena, no, and didn't you already go shopping just last week? Need you go so soon?"

Lena mock gasped in shock. "I thought since we were best friends that we were supposed to do girl things together. You're just like Wally and Artie."

Lita stared down at her friend dryly. "I am not like them; did I flirt with you when I also discovered girls?"

Lena flushed at the reminder. "Well, no you didn't." she said giving a point to the 'blonde.' "I still don't know whether to think it's funny or not that creepy Kenny practically followed you around after throwing rocks at you when we were kids."

"It's less funny and creepier." Lita replied. "His very presence made me physically ill; I don't know how he didn't take the hint after I threw up on his shoes after he kissed me."

Lena tittered. "I remember that, it was at a dance during our sophomore year and the four of us went out as a group because neither of the guys could get a date; then creepy Kenny comes along and plants one on you," she tittered a little louder, "and then you threw up on him. Oh, that was hilarious."

"For you maybe, but I was embarrassed for weeks afterwards." Lita replied still flushing at the memory.

"Come on, you should they were laughing for you and not at you." Lena waved it off and they continued on down the hall.

* * *

><p>Lita jogged up to the café and smiled at the dark-haired girl sitting at the table. "Hey, Lori."<p>

"Lita." Lori replied smiling back. "I just want to apologize for running off before."

"No, it's okay." Lita said waving off the apology. "It was probably important to you."

Lori felt her shoulders relax and smiled again, this time bashfully. "Yeah, it is important, so when I leave please don't take it personally."

Lita nodded, but wondered where she'd have to go before pushing it away as being none of her concern. "Sure. So, would you like some coffee?"

"Yes, but I can order that for myself thank you very much." Lori replied. "After all, neither of us are guys."

Lita chuckled at that, the irony of the statement actually humorous. "You know, my friend Lena said that I acted just like my guy friends, Wally and Artie."

Lori froze at that. "Artie? As in Arthur?"

Lita blinked at the sudden change in the woman's demeanour. "Yeah, his name's Arthur Curry; you know him?"

Lori was looking very pale now. "Uh, yes, I know _of_ him, but I've never met him before. You are one of his friends?" she asked tentatively.

The 'blonde' nodded her head as she wondered why the woman was acting so nervous. "Yes, but he left during the summer before our senior year of high school." She explained.

Lori nodded absently as her mind seemed to be somewhere else. "R-Right."

Lita furrowed her brows in worry. "Lori, are you alright?"

The woman bit her lip. "Actually, I have something tell you, I'm-" she was cut off as a blast of ice shot by inches from her head and struck a lamppost.

Lita shot up from her seat and whirled around to see a woman with short dark hair and incredibly pale skin, wearing a white outfit and a cape around her shoulders. "Who are you?" she asked shocked.

Lori though was the one who answered. "Crystal, is that you? What happened?"

The woman scowled and she raised her hands before a bolt of ice form and shot at her, Lita though took and the hit and the 'blonde' was frozen over. "I'm not Crystal anymore, call me Killer Frost." She said before shooting more ice at the other dark-haired woman, and her legs were frozen. Killer Frost walked over to the woman and smirked at her. "Now that I got you why don't we have a reunion with Marty? I'm sure the man you stole from me would be delighted to see you again." She said grabbed Lori by the arm and proceeded to drag her off.

"I didn't steal him, I didn't even like him!" Lori protested, but as long as her legs were frozen she was helpless.

* * *

><p>Lita felt the ice around her shake as she used her super speed to cause a vibration that shattered the ice encasing her. She shook the rest of it off her head and looked around, the people having already scattered when they'd seen the strangely dressed woman.<p>

Her eyes narrowed as she thought about who her target was. From what she'd heard, that 'Killer Frost' woman blamed Lori for 'stealing' some man she liked. She'd guess that was probably why Lori had been so nervous earlier. She tried to use her hearing to see if she could find them, but they must have stopped talking or Killer Frost knocked Lori unconscious.

She headed over to the same alley from before and used her super speed to change out of her street clothing to reveal her superhero costume underneath it and took to the air. She kept her super hearing up and she tried to find any clue that could lead her to where the…

Superwoman's eyes turned thoughtful as she thought about the fact Lori had called the woman 'Crystal' and mentioned someone named 'Marty.' If she could find something that connected the three, then she could find out who the man was as it was obvious Killer Frost was going after this man.

Superwoman flew back to the university and changed back into her street clothes as she headed into the library and immediately tried to find records of those three names in the hard drive. When she got a hit off the search engine she found out about the trip to the Artic and how one of the people accounted for had supposedly died, a Crystal Frost.

_'That's the name Lori called Killer Frost.'_ Lita thought before looking around and pulled a transmitter out of her pocket and turned it on. "Kelex, alert me when you find a higher than normal cold radiation from New York City."

"Of course, Miss Lor." Was the reply.

Lita put the transmitter away and decided to head back to the dorm, if only to have a cover for when Linda questions were she's been. Lita super sped to the dorm room and went inside, seeing the blonde sitting at the table and eating a bowl of instant noodles. "Hey, Linda."

The blonde paused for a moment before smiling at her. "How was your date?"

Lita blushed. "It wasn't a date." She protested weakly. "It was just Lori and I getting to know each other, that's all it was."

Linda grinned slyly. "_Right." _She said clearly not believing the other girl.

Lita shook her head as she walked into her room and sat down on the edge of her bed and sighed, her guilt at not having saved Lori when she could've was really getting to her. She liked Lori, and she was willing to be patient and wait for whatever relationship came from this. And if nothing did, then that's just how it was.

But first that meant she had to _find_ Lori first and get her and this 'Marty' away from Killer Frost.

And considering the venom the woman looked at Lori with, she tried not to think about if Killer Frost had just gone and killed the woman.

The thought made her wince as the entire reason she was doing this whole superhero thing was to _prevent_ suffering. And she couldn't even stop what was happening 3 feet behind her. Lita let out a sigh as she started pacing around the room, the sound of her transmitter beeping breaking her from her thoughts. "Yes?"

"An abnormal amount of temperature droppage has been located in the area of Columbia University." Kelex replied in his clipped tone.

Lita nodded, even though he couldn't see it. "Understood, thank you Kelex." She said before putting the transmitter down and in a flash of speed was wearing her Superwoman costume and flying out the window at a break neck speed and kept her ears open for the sound of Lori or Killer Frost's voice. She strains her ears to its fullest and could hear the voices before heading in that direction.

Superwoman used her X-ray vision to check through the building and found Killer Frost about to freeze both Lori and an older-looking man, both cringing back and the woman speeded in through the window, secretly hoping the man could spare to replace a window and Killer Frost looked up at her before turning her ice blast at her and Superwoman used her heat vision to counter the ice while her voice was directed at the two other occupants. "Get out of here, now!"

"No!" Killer Frost shouted, but before she could stop them from leaving, she briefly paused in her ice blasts that allowed Superwoman to tackled the other woman and let the other two occupants escape through the door. "You should have stayed out of this." Killer Frost hissed as she blasted the dark-haired woman back with an ice blast.

"And you should have thought twice about trying to kill someone." Superwoman snapped back.

Killer Frost smiled coldly at her. "Oh but I _have_ thought about this." she said before sending another ice blast at Superwoman. "Ever since the day I was left to die in that freezer in the arctic!" she snarled and the room started to freeze over.

Superwoman looked around briefly before dodging another ice blast and let loose her heat vision, the counter attack hitting Killer Frost dead center and sent her flying back into the wall, slumping to the floor. The dark-haired woman went about defrosting the rest of the room and heard the sounds of police officers running down the hall and took her cue to fly out the window and back to her dorm room.

* * *

><p>Linda was finishing up her dinner of ramen noodles when she heard the knock at the door and hoped it wasn't Lena. It wasn't like she hated the redhead, but they just couldn't seem to see eye to eye. She opened it to reveal Lori Lemaris, Lita's almost-friend and potential girlfriend.<p>

"Uh, is Lita here?" The girl asked.

Linda beamed at her, feeling as though Lita was going to be very happy to see this girl. "It just so happens that Lita is here." She said leading the girl into the dorm and over to Lita's room, knocking on it as she opened the door. "Hey Lita, are you-"

The girl looked up from her desk, a surprised expression crossing her face. "Oh, hi Lori."

Linda felt her face grow pinched as the 'blonde' ignored her and she huffed. "Well, I'll leave you two alone then." She said moving back into the kitchen.

Lita winced as she recognized Linda's tone and was going to be ignored for the rest of the night. "Uh, are you okay?"

Lori stared at her as she calmly sat down next to her; the woman's earlier nervousness about being around her was gone. "I should be asking you that same question, 'Superwoman.'"

Lita felt her breathing stop and her mind blank. "I have no idea what you're saying; I just got thawed out, no big deal."

The dark-haired woman grabbed her hand, and at any other time, Lita would have welcomed it. "I _know_ you're her," she said firmly, "because I can't read your mind."

Lita blinked. "_What?_"

"I…I'm not as human as I look." Lori replied somewhat sheepishly. "And if I told you, I don't think you'd believe me." She said pausing and clenched the girl's hand before the other one reached up and grabbed the wig, Lita freezing in place. "I could pull this off and your hair would be shone; I could do a lot," her hand let go of the hair and she smoothed it down, "but I won't."

Lita had to remind herself to start breathing again. "How can you be so sure, it can't only be my mind you can't read."

Lori shook her head. "No, the only other person's mind who I can't read is Superwoman's, and I connected the dots." She said shrugging. "But you won't have to worry about anyone knowing that it's you," her mouth twisted up, "I like you too much to do that."

Lita felt her heart clench and forced herself to remain still. "I…I see." She said softly. "Where are you going then?"

"I'm going back home, I've had a good time here, but I think after all that's been going on, I'm better suited to remain in my natural habitat." Lori said with a strange hint of humor in her eyes, like a joke that only she could get.

"When are you going?" Lita asked.

"Later tonight, my sister's coming to help me get back, but I _will_ miss you, and I'm sorry that we could never have a real date." Lori said sounding truly apologetic.

"Was there ever a chance?" Lita asked tilting her head.

Lori was silent for a moment before smiling sadly. "I guess we'll never know."

* * *

><p>"Well isn't this a nice surprise." Martha Kent said hugging her daughter and Lita hugged her back.<p>

"I just hope I'm not interrupting anything." The 'blonde' replied.

"No dear, Lyla was just helping me with errands, she should be back soon." Martha said pulling the 'blonde' toward the island in the kitchen. "Tea dear? How are your classes going?"

"No tea, but thanks Ma." Lita replied politely. "And my classes are going great."

"What about your...superheroing?" Martha asked awkwardly and while she knew nothing could really hurt her baby, she was still worried for her.

"It's going on well enough, but I need some advice." Lita said and started to feel her face heat. "Um, how will I ever know when I meet the right person?" she asked and her face flushed brightly at the blunt way it came out.

Martha paused in stirring her tea. "Well, I assumed it's the same for both genders to feel this way, and all I can say is that if this person really means that much to you and you can _picture_ it, then it's worth giving it a chance."

Lita thought over her mother's words, and though she _had_ liked Lori, even with the knowledge that the woman might not be human like her, she honestly couldn't see it. It was nothing like with her male friends as she didn't feel anything other than a platonic sort of affection for them.

The advice helped, but it would still take a while to get used to the idea of Lori not being around anymore. "Thanks Ma."

"Any time, dear." Martha replied and the door opened up, a black-haired 'woman' walking in with a bag in both arms. "Hello Lyla, welcome back."

"Greetings Mrs. Kent." Lyla said in her mechanized female voice, the 'woman' having to be passed off as mute so she couldn't tip people off when she spoke. "Miss Lor."

"It's okay to call me Lita, Lyla." Lita said reassuringly, but already knew what the response would be. It was always the same whenever she told both her and Kelex they could call her Lita.

"It is not in my protocol to disrespect you so, Miss Lor." Lyla replied monotonously.

Lita sighed. "I know, Lyla." She said frowning. "Hey, I went looking through the fortress the other day and I found two rooms I couldn't get into, what are those for?"

Lyla frowned as her optics dimmed before brightening back up and the expression was clear again. "All rooms are accessible to only those from the House of El; the rooms you speak of are DNA coedited specifically to Master Mon and Miss Kara."

Lita froze up as she processed what was being said. "Why would they need rooms?"

Lyla's tone took on something akin to irritation, which was remarkably and had Lita thinking that maybe the robot girl had followed through with turning on her personality chip. "They would need the rooms as they were intended to be theirs for when they woke up on this planet."

"Are you telling me that they're alive?" Lita asked in shock as she pictured the first time she had ever seen her brother in the crystal hologram, grinning at her and saying how much he loved her while telling off a blond girl.

"Yes, that is correct." Lyla said blandly like she hadn't just dropped a bombshell. "They are here on this planet somewhere, still in suspended animation."


End file.
